Government's inaction on synthetic drugs 'staggering' - doco maker

The varying strains of synthetics makes the threat of seizures more likely, he said. Credits: The AM Show

The investigative journalist behind a documentary about the effects of synthetic drugs in west Auckland says the Government has failed to protect at-risk Kiwis.

'Syn City' - a new episode in Vice's New Zealand-based series Zealandia - is released today and James Barrowdale, the journalist behind it, says it shows just how debilitating 'synnies' are to those addicted to them.

And Mr Barrowdale told The AM Show on Tuesday that the Government is to blame for not stepping in sooner, calling its inaction "staggering".

That's echoed by the show's producer, Ursula Williams, who said Vice was inspired to make the documentary after hearing former Prime Minister Bill English say the best defence to addiction was taking "personal responsibility".

"It seemed like a strange abdication of governmental responsibility, given Parliament's muddled reaction to synthetics - making it first legal and then illegal, with little in the way of an action plan for those already addicted - has undoubtedly contributed to the problem.

"In the wake of those decisions, people's lives have been ruined, scarred, and even ended. We wanted to give a voice to those people."